Static Charge Generated by Human

Good answer for PW! He gave the 3 easy, inexpensive fixes.

Your best bet is to research what the electronics manufacturing industry does for ESD (Electro Static Discharge) control.

The tools and processes should apply to your situation. There is just too much information for me to give to you here.

PWSlack gave some good answers. For me, one thing that sprang to mind (quick and dirty fix) is to afix a chain on the wheelchair's frame that drags along the floor, allowing the static charge to dissipate. Of course, if the floor has carpeting or is made of a nonconductive material, this won't help.

PWSlack answer is complete. I can only add for needles to worry about electromagnetic waves as origin of static charge but friction forces. You may use special properly "earthed" bracelets worn over hand (I made this kind bracelet soldering wire to watches).

There are specialized facilities for air ionization as well.

Here is a rule as well: before working with sensitivity instrumental equipment to touch massive metal object.

Just to give a link to what others mentioned above...

Here are the results from a Google search on ESD Products.

Good link. Since this is most likely a regulated business, there should be some codes and regulations that the company should comply with. Copies of those would be with the controlling government agency.

If these regulations do not exist, there are three other avenues open.

1. Check with other companies that do the same thing and see if they would be willing to share best practices and processes used to control ESD.

2. Create your own set of standards modeled after another country. Most likely you will be doing a lot of research to see what offers the needed control versus cost.

3. Check with your customers and determine if they have manufacturing standards you must comply with or standards they recommend. If you are selling direct to the public, then you need to go back to the first two avenues I recommended.

You probably also need to consider your liabilities in this matter, not only to governing agencies, but to your customers and employees. I am not familiar with India's regulations in these matters.

The solutions given by others are all valid solutions (although, not comprehensive), but in your instance I strongly urge you to take a structured and formal approach to the problem rather than an ad-hock aproach that may come back to bite you later.

One other thing to look into is Ion generators to put in the HVAC system. If the magnetic waves are equal through out the entire room they cannot cause the static because everything in the room will be the same potential, also if the human factor is the problem some ESD rugs, placed in the entrance/exit path, that will be an easy cheap fix. The devil is in the details, would most likely be the human to be positively charged, most equipment, especially lab equipment will be grounded. Also on the "wheeled chair" could even have a trailing ground strap placed on it to keep it to ground. But first check with your cGMP about rugs and straps.

the problem is isolation. The person in the wheeled chair is isolated from the the rest of the world. Here's a simple example: As I was pushing my kids stroller on a concrete/tile floor, I would get schocked every minute. I finally fiquired out that the shock came whenever my hands moved over the metal pins that held the plastic handle in place.

The rubber wheels on the stroller isolated it and its movement allowed it to collect electrons. I became the lower potential short.

Yep, just like wiping a wool cloth on a glass rod, you are just aligning the electrons. I'd look into a grounding strap or like the other suggestions and get some different wheels. Maybe even some really long ESD bands for everyone, but watch your step!!

All floors need to be made conductive, a quick method is to spay a salt solution on non conductive areas, but that is only for short term usage.

Humidity levels need to be around 50% or a touch more. Winter when it is cold quickly sucks the moisture out of the atmosphere, therefore extra moisture must be added to the atmosphere....

There are special tapes that are wound around (any type of ) shoe, with a short piece tucked under the foot inside the shoe to conduct voltages back into the flooring. There is even a test rig to make sure that it works, you stand on a conductive tile with one foot at a time, touch a button and the resistance between hand and floor is measured (painlessly!!)

Ban the wearing of man made fibers completely and their usage.

Only use computer room grade carpets and flooring.

Test all areas on a regular basis for working!!! At least once per month or more often in winter even!!

You can install an ESD epoxy floor (painted on). You can also install drag chains on wheel chairs or any other movable cart.

OK. All of these are answer are good, and correct.

I work in the medical field, on the instrumentation end. I happen to be one of the engineers in charge of ESD at our facility.

Here goes. Humidy, static disipative shoes and flooring, the chain installed to ANY mobile device i.e. carts, mats should have a ground, instrumentation should have grounding. Anything that is producing static is NOT GROUNDED SUFFICIENTLY!

Just remember ground,ground,ground.

to get rid of your static energy charges; put one feet on the floor the other one on the top of a watertap, and let the water run. for about couple of minutes.

Or walk barefeet on lawns or on earth... wich will help you to get rid of your static energy...

please write to me after trying out... billuro@inMail24.com

The thing i used to face as static is when i used to get out my car..and try to lock the door...crik...

I have a copper braid running across my seat and bolted to the floor of the car...never had any problem since then.

As for static buildup on do as under...

a) Keep humidity higher than 50%. There are humidifiers available in market.

b) Use only cotton products. (I bet the apron you are using is not 100% cotton)

c) Avoid nylon socks.

d) Use shoes with special soles (with antistatic additives).

e) Antistatic wrist and ankle bands are available, use them. ( Check RS products catalogue).

Cheers.